Cocaine and cash courier is jailed for eight years

An ALBANIAN who was caught with cocaine worth £120,000 and a haul of £55,000 in cash from organised crime has been jailed for eight years and nine months.

Admerin Beu, 41, was put under surveillance in Edinburgh by detectives, who saw him leave his work at a garage before driving to a poker club in Glasgow.

A bag that appeared to contain bundles of banknotes was taken into the club, before Beu was seen leaving the premises with it.

Beu drove back to Edinburgh in an Audi before returning to a flat in the city’s Lochinvar Drive, which he leased under the name of Ileano Sauro.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the following day on 23 November last year the Audi travelled south to England before police stopped the vehicle, in which Beu was a passenger.

He had more than £700 on him and told officers: “The money is from garage. I am taking it to owner in London.”

A further £2,000 was found in the back seat, along with £38,000 in an airbag compartment and £15,000 in suitcases.

Judge Lord Uist told Beu: “The drugs trafficking and money laundering offences were aggravated by the connection with serious, organised crime.”

He added: “Organised crime in this country must be suppressed by the imposition of severe sentences on those who are convicted of crimes connected with it.”

He pointed out that Beu had twice entered Britain illegally, and after earlier being deported, returned hidden in the back of a truck.

Police searched the flat he rented and found almost a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine, which if bulked out had the potential to be worth £120,000.

Beu admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, possessing false documents and transferring criminal property.